Feminine Names

gender
usage
Sanda 2 f Burmese
Means "moon" in Burmese, ultimately from Sanskrit चन्द्र (candra).
Sandar f Burmese
Alternate transcription of Burmese စန္ဒာ (see Sanda 2).
Sandhya f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam
Means "twilight" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a Hindu goddess of twilight, a daughter of Brahma.
Sandie f English
Variant of Sandy.
Sandra f Italian, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Czech, Romanian
Short form of Alessandra. It was introduced to the English-speaking world (where it is usually used independently of Alexandra) by author George Meredith, who used it for the heroine in his novel Emilia in England (1864) and the reissued version Sandra Belloni (1887). A famous bearer is the American actress Sandra Bullock (1964-).
Sandrine f French
French diminutive of Sandra.
Sandy m & f English
Originally a diminutive of Alexander. As a feminine name it is a diminutive of Alexandra or Sandra. It can also be given in reference to the colour.
Sanela f Croatian, Slovene
Apparently derived from Latin sana meaning "healthy".
Sanem f Turkish
Means "idol" in Turkish.
Sang m & f Korean
From Sino-Korean (sang) meaning "common, frequent, regular" or other characters that are pronounced similarly. It usually occurs in combination with another character.
Sango f Popular Culture
Means "coral" in Japanese. This name is used in the Japanese comic book and television show InuYasha.
Saniyya f Arabic
Feminine form of Sani 1.
Sanja f Croatian, Serbian, Slovene
Derived from South Slavic sanjati meaning "to dream".
Sanjana f Hindi, Marathi
From Sanskrit सञजन (sañjana) meaning "uniting, joining".
Sanjica f Croatian
Diminutive of Sanja.
Sanna f Swedish, Finnish
Short form of Susanna. It can also be derived from Swedish sann meaning "true".
Sanne f Dutch, Danish
Dutch and Danish short form of Susanna.
Sanni f Finnish
Finnish diminutive of Susanna.
Sansa f Literature
Invented by the author George R. R. Martin for the character of Sansa Stark in his series A Song of Ice and Fire, published beginning 1996, and the television adaptation Game of Thrones (2011-2019).
Santa 1 f Italian
Feminine form of Santo.
Santa 2 f Latvian
Either from Latin sanctus meaning "holy, saint" or a short form of Aleksandra.
Santana f & m Spanish (Latin American), Portuguese (Brazilian), English (Modern)
From a contraction of Santa Ana (referring to Saint Anna) or from a Spanish and Portuguese surname derived from any of the numerous places named for the saint. It can be given in honour of the Mexican-American musician Carlos Santana (1947-), the founder of the band Santana. The name received a boost in popularity for American girls after the character Santana Andrade began appearing on the soap opera Santa Barbara in 1984.
Santina f Italian
Feminine diminutive of Santo.
Sanya 1 f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic سنيّة (see Saniyya).
Sanya 2 m & f Russian
Diminutive of Aleksandr or Aleksandra.
Sao f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek σῶς (sos) meaning "whole, unwounded, safe". This was the name of one of the Nereids in Greek mythology. A small moon of Neptune is named for her.
Saodat f Uzbek
Means "happiness" in Uzbek.
Saoirse f Irish
Means "freedom" in Irish Gaelic. It was first used as a given name in the 20th century.
Saori f Japanese
From Japanese (sa) meaning "sand" or (sa) meaning "already, now" combined with (ori) meaning "weaving". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Saorlaith f Irish
Means "free ruler", derived from sóer "free" and flaith "ruler, sovereign, princess".
Sapir f Hebrew
Means "sapphire" in Hebrew.
Sapphira f Biblical
From the Greek name Σαπφείρη (Sappheire), which was from Greek σάπφειρος (sappheiros) meaning "sapphire" or "lapis lazuli" (ultimately derived from the Hebrew word סַפִּיר (sappir)). Sapphira is a character in Acts in the New Testament who is killed by God for lying.
Sapphire f English (Modern)
From the name of the gemstone, typically blue, which is the traditional birthstone of September. It is derived from Greek σάπφειρος (sappheiros), ultimately from the Hebrew word סַפִּיר (sappir).
Sappho f Ancient Greek
Possibly from Greek σάπφειρος (sappheiros) meaning "sapphire" or "lapis lazuli". This was the name of a 7th-century BC Greek poetess from Lesbos.
Sára f Hungarian, Czech, Slovak
Hungarian, Czech and Slovak form of Sarah.
Sarah f English, French, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, Hebrew, Arabic, Biblical
From the Hebrew name שָׂרָה (Sara) meaning "lady, princess, noblewoman". In the Old Testament this is the name of Abraham's wife, considered the matriarch of the Jewish people. She was barren until she unexpectedly became pregnant with Isaac at the age of 90. Her name was originally Sarai, but God changed it at the same time Abraham's name was changed (see Genesis 17:15).... [more]
Sarai f Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Hebrew, Spanish
Means "my princess" in Hebrew, a possessive form of שָׂרָה (sara) meaning "lady, princess, noblewoman". In the Old Testament, this was Sarah's name before God changed it (see Genesis 17:15).
Saraid f Irish, Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Sárait, derived from sár meaning "excellent". This was the name of a daughter of the legendary high king of Ireland, Conn of the Hundred Battles.
Sárait f Irish Mythology
Old Irish form of Saraid.
Sarala f Tamil, Telugu, Kannada
Feminine form of Saral.
Saramama f Inca Mythology
Means "corn mother" in Quechua, from sara "corn, maize" and mama "mother". This was the name of the Inca goddess of grain.
Sarangerel f Mongolian
Means "moonlight" in Mongolian, from саран (saran) meaning "moon" and гэрэл (gerel) meaning "light".
Saranna f English (Rare)
Combination of Sarah and Anna, in occasional use since the 18th century.
Sarantuya f Mongolian
Means "moonbeam" in Mongolian, from саран (saran) meaning "moon" and туяа (tuyaa) meaning "ray, beam".
Sarasvati f Hinduism
Alternate transcription of Sanskrit सरस्वती (see Saraswati).
Saraswati f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi
Means "possessing water" from Sanskrit सरस् (saras) meaning "fluid, water, lake" and वती (vatī) meaning "having". This is the name of a Hindu river goddess, also associated with learning and the arts, who is the wife of Brahma. She appears in the Vedas.
Saray f Spanish
Spanish variant of Sarai.
Sare f Turkish
Turkish form of Sarah.
Sári f Hungarian
Hungarian diminutive of Sarah.
Sari 1 f Finnish
Finnish variant of Saara.
Sari 2 f Indonesian
Means "essence" in Indonesian.
Sariah f Mormon
Possibly from an alternate reading of Hebrew שׂריה (see Seraiah). In the Book of Mormon this is the name of Lehi's wife.
Sárika f Hungarian (Rare)
Hungarian diminutive of Sarah.
Sarika f Hindi, Marathi
From a Sanskrit word referring to a type of thrush (species Turdus salica) or myna bird (species Gracula religiosa).
Sarina f German, Dutch, English (Modern)
Diminutive of Sara, or sometimes a variant of Serena.
Sarit f Hebrew
Hebrew diminutive of Sarah.
Sarita 1 f Spanish
Spanish diminutive of Sara.
Sarita 2 f Hindi, Marathi, Nepali
Means "flowing" in Sanskrit.
Šárka f Czech
Meaning unknown. In Czech legend Šárka was a maiden who joined other women in declaring war upon men. She tricked the men by having herself tied to a tree, and, after they came to her rescue, offering them mead laced with a sleeping potion. After the men fell asleep the other women slew them.
Šarlota f Czech
Czech form of Charlotte.
Šarlote f Latvian
Latvian form of Charlotte.
Sarmīte f Latvian
From Latvian sarma meaning "frost".
Sarnai f Mongolian
Means "rose" in Mongolian.
Sarolt f Hungarian (Rare)
From the Old Hungarian name Saroldu, probably of Turkic origin meaning "white weasel, ermine". This was the wife of the 10th-century Hungarian grand prince Géza.
Sarolta f Hungarian
Variant of Sarolt, also used as a Hungarian form of Charlotte.
Sarra f Biblical Latin, Old Church Slavic
Biblical Latin and Old Church Slavic form of Sarah. The spelling Sara also occurs in Latin Bibles.
Sarrha f Biblical Greek
Biblical Greek form of Sarah.
Saša m & f Croatian, Serbian, Slovene
Croatian, Serbian and Slovene diminutive of Aleksander or Aleksandra.
Sascha m & f German, Dutch
German and Dutch form of Sasha.
Sasha m & f Russian, Ukrainian, English, French
Russian and Ukrainian diminutive of Aleksandr or Aleksandra.
Sashenka f Russian
Diminutive of Sasha.
Sashi m & f Kannada
Alternate transcription of Kannada ಶಶಿ (see Shashi).
Sashka f Bulgarian, Macedonian
Bulgarian diminutive of Aleksandra, as well as an alternate transcription of Macedonian Сашка (see Saška).
Sasithorn f Thai
Means "the moon" in Thai (a poetic word).
Saskia f Dutch, German
From the Old German element sahso meaning "a Saxon". The Saxons were a Germanic tribe, their name ultimately deriving from the Germanic word *sahsą meaning "knife". Saskia van Uylenburgh (1612-1642) was the wife of the Dutch painter Rembrandt.
Sassa f Swedish (Rare)
Swedish diminutive of Astrid, Alexandra or Sara.
Sati f Hinduism
From Sanskrit सत् (sat) meaning "true, virtuous". This is the name of a Hindu goddess, the first wife of Shiva. A daughter of King Daksha, she threw herself onto a fire when her husband was insulted by her father. After her death she was eventually reborn as the goddess Parvati.
Satomi f Japanese
From Japanese (sato) meaning "village" or (sato) meaning "intelligent, clever, bright" combined with (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Satu f Finnish
Means "fairy tale, fable" in Finnish.
Saturnina f Ancient Roman, Spanish
Feminine form of Saturninus. This was the name of a legendary saint who was supposedly martyred in northern France.
Satyavati f Hinduism, Hindi, Telugu
Means "truthful", derived from Sanskrit सत्य (satya) meaning "true, real" and the suffix वती (vatī) meaning "having". In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata she is a commoner who becomes the wife of Shantanu, king of Hastinapura.
Sauda f Swahili
Meaning uncertain, possibly a variant of Sawda.
Saule 2 f Kazakh
Means "ray, sunbeam" in Kazakh.
Saulė f Lithuanian, Baltic Mythology
Means "sun" in Lithuanian. This was the name of the Lithuanian sun goddess.
Saundra f English
Variant of Sondra.
Savannah f English
From the English word for the large grassy plain, ultimately deriving from the Taino (Native American) word zabana. It came into use as a given name in America in the 19th century. It was revived in the 1980s by the movie Savannah Smiles (1982).
Saveria f Italian
Italian feminine form of Xavier.
Savina f Italian
Italian variant of Sabina.
Savitri f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi
Means "of the sun" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a hymn in the Rigveda dedicated to Savitr, a sun god. This is also the name of Savitr's daughter, a wife of Brahma, considered an aspect of Saraswati. In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata it is borne by King Satyavan's wife, who successfully pleas with Yama, the god of death, to restore her husband to life.
Sawda f Arabic
Means "black" in Arabic. This was the name of a wife of the Prophet Muhammad. She was said to have lived for a time in Abyssinia (modern Ethiopia and Eritrea).
Sawsan f Arabic
Arabic form of Susanna.
Sawyer m & f English (Modern)
From an English surname meaning "sawer of wood". Mark Twain used it for the hero in his novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876).... [more]
Saxa f Germanic (Latinized)
Old German form of Saskia.
Sayaka f Japanese
From Japanese (sa) meaning "sand" or (sa) meaning "thread, silk" with (ya) meaning "also" or (ya), an interjection, combined with (ka) meaning "fragrance" or (ka) meaning "increase". This name can also be composed of other kanji combinations. It is often written using the hiragana writing system.
Sayen f Mapuche
Meaning uncertain, possibly a derivative of Mapuche ayün "love".
Saylor f English (Modern)
From an English surname that was derived from Old French sailleor meaning "acrobat, dancer". As a modern English given name it could also come from the homophone vocabulary word sailor.
Saynab f Somali
Somali form of Zaynab.
Sayuri f Japanese
From Japanese (sa) meaning "small" and 百合 (yuri) meaning "lily". This name can also be composed of other kanji combinations.
Sayyida f Arabic
Means "lady, mistress" in Arabic.
Scarlet f English (Modern)
Either a variant of Scarlett or else from the English word for the red colour (both of the same origin, a type of cloth).
Scarlett f English
From an English surname that denoted a person who sold or made clothes made of scarlet (a kind of cloth, possibly derived from Persian سقرلاط (saqrelāṭ)). Margaret Mitchell used it for the main character, Scarlett O'Hara, in her novel Gone with the Wind (1936). Her name is explained as having come from her grandmother. Despite the fact that the book was adapted into a popular movie in 1939, the name was not common until the 21st century. It started rising around 2003, about the time that the career of American actress Scarlett Johansson (1984-) started taking off.
Scáthach f Irish Mythology
Means "shadowy" in Irish. In Irish legend this was the name of a warrior woman. She instructed Cúchulainn in the arts of war, and he in turn helped her defeat her rival Aoife.
Scheherazade f Literature
Anglicized form of Shahrazad.
Schneeweißchen f Literature
Means "snow white" in High German, thus a cognate of Low German Sneewittchen (see Snow White). This is the name of a peasant girl in the German folktale Snow-White and Rose-Red, recorded by the Brothers Grimm in 1837. Her sister is Rosenrot, translated into English as Rose-Red. This story is distinct from the Grimms' earlier tale Snow White.
Scholastica f Late Roman
From a Late Latin name that was derived from scholasticus meaning "rhetorician, orator". Saint Scholastica was a 6th-century Benedictine abbess, the sister of Saint Benedict of Nursia.
Scholastique f French (Rare)
French form of Scholastica. It is more common in French-speaking Africa than France.
Schuyler m & f English
From a Dutch surname meaning "scholar". Dutch settlers brought the surname to America, where it was subsequently adopted as a given name in honour of the American general and senator Philip Schuyler (1733-1804).
Scilla f Italian
Short form of Priscilla. This is also the Italian word for the squill flower (genus Scilla).
Scottie m & f English
Diminutive of Scott, also used as a feminine form.
Scout f & m English (Modern)
From the English word scout meaning "one who gathers information covertly", which is derived from Old French escouter "to listen". Harper Lee used this name in her novel To Kill a Mockingbird (1960).
Scovia f Eastern African
Short form of Proscovia, mainly used in Uganda.
Seanna f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Seán.
Séarlait f Irish
Irish form of Charlotte.
Sebastiana f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese feminine form of Sebastianus (see Sebastian).
Sébastienne f French
French feminine form of Sebastianus (see Sebastian).
Sébire f Norman
Norman form of Sibyl.
Seble f Amharic
Means "harvest" in Amharic.
Şebnem f Turkish
Turkish form of Shabnam.
Secunda f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Secundus. Saint Secunda and her sister Rufina were martyred in Rome in the 3rd century.
Seda f Turkish
Means "voice, echo" in Turkish.
Sedef f Turkish
Turkish form of Sadaf.
Sedna f New World Mythology
Meaning unknown. This is the name of the Inuit goddess of the sea, sea animals and the underworld. According to some legends Sedna was originally a beautiful woman thrown into the ocean by her father. A dwarf planet in the outer solar system was named for her in 2004.
Seela f Finnish
Possibly a Finnish form of Sela.
Seema f Hindi, Marathi
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi सीमा (see Sima 2).
Seera f Biblical Greek
Biblical Greek form of Sheerah.
Seeta f Hindi
Alternate transcription of Hindi सीता (see Sita).
Seetha f Tamil
Tamil form of Sita. The name of the mythological figures is சீதை, while சீதா is the spelling used for people.
Sefa m & f Turkish
Turkish form of Safaa'.
Ségolène f French
From the Germanic name Sigilina, itself a diminutive derivative of the element sigu meaning "victory" (Proto-Germanic *segiz). This was the name of a 7th-century saint from Albi, France.
Segunda f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Secundus.
Seher f Turkish
Turkish form of Sahar.
Şehrazat f Turkish
Turkish form of Shahrazad.
Seija f Finnish
Derived from Finnish seijas meaning "tranquil, serene".
Seiko f Japanese
From Japanese (sei) meaning "holy, sacred" combined with (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Šejma f Bosnian
Bosnian form of Shaima.
Sekai f Shona
From Shona seka meaning "laugh".
Sekhmet f Egyptian Mythology
From Egyptian sḫmt, derived from sḫm meaning "powerful" and a feminine t suffix. Sekhmet was an Egyptian warrior goddess, also associated with healing, violence and plague. She was commonly depicted with the head of a lioness, and was sometimes conflated with the cat-headed goddess Bastet.
Sela f English (Rare)
From the name of a city, the capital of Edom, which appears in the Old Testament. It means "rock" in Hebrew.
Selah f Biblical
From a Hebrew musical term that occurs many times in the Old Testament Psalms. It was probably meant to indicate a musical pause.
Selbi f Turkmen
Means "cypress" in Turkmen (derived from Persian, ultimately from Sumerian).
Selby m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that was from a place name meaning "willow farm" in Old Norse.
Selena f Spanish, English, Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Selene. This name was borne by popular Mexican-American singer Selena Quintanilla (1971-1995), who was known simply as Selena. Another famous bearer is the American actress and singer Selena Gomez (1992-).
Selene f Greek Mythology
Means "moon" in Greek. This was the name of a Greek goddess of the moon, a Titan. She was sometimes identified with the goddess Artemis.
Selima f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic سليمة (see Salima).
Selime f Turkish
Turkish form of Salima.
Selin f Turkish
From Turkish sel meaning "flood, torrent" (a word of Arabic origin).
Selina f English, German
Variant of Celina or Selena. As an English name, it first came into use in the 17th century.
Selini f Greek
Modern Greek transcription of Selene.
Selma 1 f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic
Meaning unknown, possibly a short form of Anselma. It could also have been inspired by James Macpherson's 18th-century poems, in which it is the name of Ossian's castle.
Selma 2 f Turkish
Turkish form of Salma.
Selvaggia f Italian (Rare)
Means "wild" in Italian.
Selvi f Turkish
Means "cypress" in Turkish (derived from Persian, ultimately from Sumerian).
Sema f Turkish
Means "sky, heaven" in Turkish.
Semaj m & f African American (Modern)
The name James spelled backwards.
Semele f Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown, possibly of Phrygian origin. In Greek mythology she was one of the many lovers of Zeus. Hera, being jealous, tricked Semele into asking Zeus to display himself in all his splendour as the god of thunder. When he did, Semele was struck by lightning and died, but not before giving birth to Dionysos.
Semiha f Turkish
Feminine form of Semih.
Semiramis f Ancient Assyrian (Hellenized)
Probably from a Greek form of the name Shammuramat. According to ancient Greek and Armenian sources, Semiramis (Շամիրամ (Shamiram) in Armenian) was an Assyrian queen who conquered much of Asia. Though the tales are legendary, she might be loosely based on the real Assyrian queen.
Semra f Turkish
Turkish form of Samra.
Sena f Turkish
Turkish form of Thana.
Şenay f Turkish
Means "merry moon" in Turkish.
Sence f Medieval Spanish
Old variant of Sancha.
Senga f Scottish
Sometimes explained as an anagram of Agnes, but more likely derived from Gaelic seang "slender".
Sengphet f & m Lao
From Lao ແສງ (saeng) meaning "light" and ເພັດ (phet) meaning "diamond, gem".
Şengül f Turkish
Possibly from the Persian word شنگول (shangūl) meaning "merry, cheerful".
Senja f Finnish
Finnish form of Xenia.
Senka f Serbian, Croatian
Means "shadow, shade" in Serbian and Croatian. It can also be a diminutive of Ksenija.
Senna f & m Dutch (Modern)
Meaning uncertain. In some cases it is given in honour of the Brazilian racecar driver Ayrton Senna (1960-1994). It could also be inspired by the senna plant.
Şenol m & f Turkish
Means "be happy", from Turkish şen "happy".
Sens f Medieval Spanish
Old variant of Sancha.
Senta f German
Diminutive of Kreszentia.
Seo-A f Korean
From Sino-Korean (seo) meaning "felicitous omen, auspicious" combined with (a) meaning "elegant, graceful, refined" or (a) meaning "good, beautiful". Other combinations of hanja characters can also form this name.
Seo-Ah f Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 서아 (see Seo-A).
Seo-Hyeon f Korean
From Sino-Korean (seo) meaning "felicitous omen, auspicious" combined with (hyeon) meaning "virtuous, worthy, able". Other combinations of hanja characters can form this name as well.
Seo-Hyun f Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 서현 (see Seo-Hyeon).
Seon f & m Korean
From Sino-Korean (seon) meaning "good, virtuous" or (seon) meaning "declare, announce", as well as other hanja characters with the same pronunciation. It usually occurs in combination with another character, though it is sometimes used as a stand-alone name.
Seona f Scottish
Partially Anglicized form of Seònaid or Seonag.
Seonag f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Joan 1.
Seònaid f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Janet.
Seong m & f Korean
From Sino-Korean (seong) meaning "completed, finished, succeeded", as well as other hanja characters with the same pronunciation. Although it does appear as a single-character name, it is more often used in combination with another character.
Seong-Hyeon m & f Korean
From Sino-Korean (seong) meaning "completed, finished, succeeded" combined with (hyeon), which refers to a device used to lift a tripod cauldron. Other hanja character combinations are possible.
Seon-U m & f Korean
From Sino-Korean (seon) meaning "good, virtuous" or (seon) meaning "declare, announce" combined with (u) meaning "house, universe" or (u) meaning "help, protect, bliss". This name can be formed by many other hanja character combinations as well.
Seo-Yeon f Korean
From Sino-Korean (seo) meaning "felicitous omen, auspicious" combined with (yeon) or (yeon) both meaning "beautiful". Many other combinations of hanja characters can also form this name.
Seo-Yun f Korean
From Sino-Korean (seo) meaning "felicitous omen, auspicious" and (yun) meaning "soft, sleek", as well as other hanja character combinations.
Séphora f French
French form of Zipporah.
September f English (Rare)
From the name of the ninth month (though it means "seventh month" in Latin, since it was originally the seventh month of the Roman year), which is sometimes used as a given name for someone born in September.
Septima f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Septimus.
Sequoia f & m English (Rare)
From the name of huge trees that grow in California. The tree got its name from the 19th-century Cherokee scholar Sequoyah (also known as George Guess), the inventor of the Cherokee writing system.
Sera f English (Rare)
Either a variant of Sarah or a short form of Seraphina.
Serafima f Russian
Russian form of Seraphina.
Serafina f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese (Rare)
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Seraphina.
Serap f Turkish
Means "mirage" in Turkish (a word of Arabic origin).
Seraphina f English (Rare), German (Rare), Late Roman
Feminine form of the Late Latin name Seraphinus, derived from the biblical word seraphim, which was Hebrew in origin and meant "fiery ones". The seraphim were an order of angels, described by Isaiah in the Bible as having six wings each.... [more]
Séraphine f French
French form of Seraphina.
Seren f Welsh
Means "star" in Welsh. This is a recently created Welsh name.
Serena f English, Italian, Late Roman
From a Late Latin name that was derived from Latin serenus meaning "clear, tranquil, serene". This name was borne by an obscure early saint. Edmund Spenser also used it in his poem The Faerie Queene (1590). A famous bearer from the modern era is tennis player Serena Williams (1981-).
Serenity f English (Modern)
From the English word meaning "serenity, tranquility", ultimately from Latin serenus meaning "clear, calm".
Sergine f French
French feminine form of Sergius.
Şerife f Turkish
Turkish feminine form of Sharif.
Serina f English
Variant of Serena.
Serket f Egyptian Mythology
From Egyptian srqt, possibly meaning "she who lets throats breathe", from srq meaning "to open the windpipe, to breathe" and a feminine t suffix. In Egyptian mythology she was the goddess of scorpions as well as the healing of poisonous stings and bites. Eventually she came to be identified with Isis, becoming an aspect of her over time.
Şermin f Turkish
Means "shy" in Turkish.
Serpil f Turkish
Means "grow" in Turkish.
Setare f Persian
Alternate transcription of Persian ستاره (see Setareh).
Setareh f Persian
Means "star" in Persian.
Sethunya f Tswana
Means "bloom, flower" in Tswana, derived from thunya "to bloom".
Setsuko f Japanese
From Japanese (setsu) meaning "section, period, verse, melody" and (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations can also be possible.
Seung m & f Korean
From Sino-Korean (seung) meaning "rise, ascend", (seung) meaning "victory" or (seung) meaning "inherit", as well as other characters that are pronounced similarly.
Sevan f & m Armenian
From the name of the largest lake in Armenia, which may be from the Urartian word suinia simply meaning "lake".
Sevara f Uzbek
Means "love" in Uzbek.
Sevda f Turkish, Azerbaijani
Means "love, infatuation" in Turkish and Azerbaijani, ultimately from Arabic سوداء (sawdāʾ) meaning "black bile, melancholy, sadness".
Seven m & f English (Modern)
From the English word for the number, derived from Old English seofon (from an Indo-European root shared by Latin septem and Greek ἑπτά (hepta)).
Séverine f French
French feminine form of Severinus.
Sevgi f Turkish
Means "love" in Turkish.
Sevil f Turkish
Means "loved" in Turkish.
Sevim f Turkish
Means "love" in Turkish.
Sevinc f Azerbaijani
Means "joy" in Azerbaijani.
Sevinç f Turkish
Means "joy" in Turkish.
Şevval f Turkish
From Arabic شوّال (shawwāl), the tenth month of the Islamic calendar.
Sevyn f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Seven.
Şeyma f Turkish
Turkish form of Shaima.
Seynabou f Western African
Form of Zaynab used in parts of West Africa (mostly Senegal).
Sezim f Kazakh
Means "sensitive" in Kazakh.
Shabana f Urdu
Feminine form of Shaban.
Shabnam f Persian, Urdu
Means "dew" in Persian and Urdu.
Shachar f & m Hebrew
Means "dawn" in Hebrew.
Shachi f Hinduism
From Sanskrit शची (śacī) meaning "eloquence, speech, skill, power". This is another name of the Hindu goddess Indrani.
Shadi 2 f Persian
Means "happiness" in Persian.
Shadiya f Arabic
Feminine form of Shadi 1.
Shadya f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic شادية (see Shadiya).
Shae f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Shea.
Shaelyn f English (Rare)
Elaboration of Shae using the popular name suffix lyn.
Shafaqat m & f Arabic
Means "compassion, pity" in Arabic, a derivative of شفق (shafaqa) meaning "to pity, to sympathize".
Shafiqa f Arabic
Feminine form of Shafiq.
Shahar f & m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew שַׁחַר (see Shachar).
Shahd f Arabic
Means "honey" in Arabic.
Shahira f Arabic
Means "renowned" in Arabic.
Shahnaz f & m Persian, Arabic, Urdu
Means "delight of the king" from Persian شاه (shāh) meaning "king" and ناز (nāz) meaning "delight, comfort, coquetry".
Shahnoza f Uzbek, Tajik
Uzbek and Tajik form of Shahnaz.
Shahrazad f Persian (Rare), Arabic
Possibly means "noble lineage" from Persian چهر (chehr) meaning "lineage, origin" and آزاد (āzād) meaning "free, noble". Alternatively, it might mean "child of the city" from شهر (shahr) meaning "city, land" combined with the suffix زاد (zād) meaning "child of". This is the name of the fictional storyteller in The 1001 Nights. She tells a story to her husband the king every night for 1001 nights in order to delay her execution.
Shahrizad f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic شهرزاد (see Shahrazad).
Shahrzad f Persian
Alternate transcription of Persian شهرزاد (see Shahrazad).
Shai m & f Hebrew
Either from Hebrew שַׁי (shai) meaning "gift" or else a Hebrew diminutive of Isaiah.
Shailaja f Hinduism, Telugu
Means "daughter of the mountain" in Sanskrit, from शैल (śaila) meaning "mountain" and (ja) meaning "born". This is another name of the Hindu goddess Parvati.
Shaima f Arabic
Possibly means "beauty marks" in Arabic. This was the name of the daughter of Halima, the foster mother of the Prophet Muhammad.
Shaimaa f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic شيماء (see Shaima).
Shaina f Yiddish
Alternate transcription of Yiddish שיינאַ (see Shayna).
Shaked f & m Hebrew
Means "almond" in Hebrew.
Shakila f Arabic
Feminine form of Shakil.
Shakira f Arabic
Feminine form of Shakir. A famous bearer is the Colombian singer Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll (1977-), known simply as Shakira.
Shakti f & m Hinduism, Hindi
Means "power" in Sanskrit. In Hinduism a shakti is the female counterpart of a god. The name Shakti is used in particular to refer to the female counterpart of Shiva, also known as Parvati among many other names.
Shakuntala f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi
Derived from Sanskrit शकुन्त (śakunta) meaning "bird". This is the name of a character in the Hindu epic the Mahabharata, with the story adapted by Kalidasa for the 5th-century play Abhijnanashakuntalam. It tells how Shakuntala, who was raised in the forest by birds, meets and marries the king Dushyanta. After a curse is laid upon them Dushyanta loses his memory and they are separated, but eventually the curse is broken after the king sees the signet ring he gave her.
Shakura f Arabic
Feminine form of Shakur.
Shalev m & f Hebrew
Means "calm, tranquil" in Hebrew.
Shama f Hindi, Urdu, Marathi
Means "lamp, candle" in Hindi and other Indian languages, ultimately from Arabic شمْع (shamʿ).
Shamika f African American (Modern)
An invented name, blending the popular phonetic prefix sha and the name Tamika.
Shamira f Hebrew
Means "guardian, protector" in Hebrew, from the root שָׁמַר (shamar) "to guard, to watch".
Shammuramat f Ancient Assyrian
Meaning unknown, possibly derived from a Western Semitic language and meaning "high heaven". Shammuramat was a 9th-century BC queen of Assyria. After her young son inherited the throne, she acted as his regent for five years. The legendary figure Semiramis may be loosely based on her.
Shams f & m Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Semitic Mythology
Means "sun" in Arabic. This was the name of a pre-Islamic Arabian goddess of the sun, identified with the Akkadian sun god Shamash (whose name is related) and the northern Arabian goddess Nuha.
Shan f Welsh
Anglicized form of Siân.
Shana 1 f English
Variant of Shanna.
Shana 2 f Yiddish
Alternate transcription of Yiddish שיינאַ (see Shayna).
Shanae f English (Modern), African American (Modern)
Combination of the popular phonetic elements sha and nay.
Shandiin f & m Navajo
From Navajo sháńdíín meaning "sunshine".
Shanene f English (Rare)
Combination of the phonetic elements sha and neen.
Shani 1 f & m Hebrew
Means "red, scarlet" in Hebrew.
Shania f English (Modern)
In the case of singer Shania Twain (1965-), who chose it as her stage name, it was apparently based on an Ojibwe phrase meaning "on my way".
Shanice f African American (Modern)
Combination of the phonetic elements sha and nees.
Shanika f African American (Modern)
Combination of the popular phonetic elements sha, nee and ka.
Shaniqua f African American (Modern)
An invented name using the popular phonetic elements sha, nee and qua.
Shaniya f African American (Modern)
Variant of Shania, or simply a combination of the popular phonetic elements sha, ny and ya.
Shanna f English
Possibly a feminine variant of Shannon.
Shannon f & m English
From the name of the River Shannon, the longest river in Ireland, called an tSionainn in Irish. It is associated with the legendary figure Sionann and is sometimes said to be named for her. However it is more likely she was named after the river, which may be related to Old Irish sen "old, ancient". As a given name, it first became common in America after the 1940s.
Shanon f & m English
Variant of Shannon.